Slime is a publicly owned American business known for its tire sealant and other tire care products. Its headquarters are located in

San Luis Obispo, California San Luis Obispo (; Spanish for " St. Louis the Bishop", ; Chumash: ''tiłhini'') is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, in the U.S. state of California. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly h ...

History

In 1989 on the central coast of

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

, Steve Cegelski began blending and bottling tire sealants by hand with a

power drill A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a bit, either a drill or driver chuck. Hand-operated types are dramatically decreasing in popularity and cordless battery-powered ones proliferating due to ...

and drywall blade in his garage. Focused on aiding local mountain bikers and off-roaders, the sealant was often referred to as “that

green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 Nanometre, nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by ...

slimy stuff.” The Slime name stuck and the

color became an intentional statement of the company's commitment to creating an environmentally safe product. The product line developed to include automotive applications and tire care accessories, and now comprises a wide variety of products. In 2010
Friend Skoler & Company
sold their majority share of Slime to

Illinois Tool Works Illinois Tool Works Inc. or ITW is an American Fortune 200 company that produces engineered fasteners and components, equipment and consumable systems, and specialty products. It was founded in 1912 by Byron L. Smith and has built its growth on ...

. Slime is now managed under ITW's Accessories Marketing business unit. Along wit
Genuine Innovations
Slime is the only bicycle related business that ITW owns.

Products

Slime is primarily known for their green tire sealant, composed of fibers, binders, and proprietary clogging agents that build up and intertwine to seal punctures in inner tubes and tires. Fibro-Seal Technology is the basis of the sealant. When a

puncture Puncture, punctured or puncturing may refer to: * a flat tyre in British English (US English "flat tire" or just "flat") * a penetrating wound caused by pointy objects as nails or needles * Lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap * Puncture ...

occurs, sealant is carried to the puncture site by the escaping air, forming a plug that stops air loss. In addition to tire sealant, Slime also manufactures tube sealant, smart tubes, smart-spares, air tools, pressure gauges, inflators, patches, and liners. Slime tube sealant can be installed in a bicycle inner tube t
prevent a flat tire
Many

compact cars Compact as used in politics may refer broadly to a pact or treaty; in more specific cases it may refer to: * Interstate compact * Blood compact, an ancient ritual of the Philippines * Compact government, a type of colonial rule utilized in Britis ...

now come without a

spare tire A spare tire (or stepney in some countries) is an additional tire (or tyre - see spelling differences) carried in a motor vehicle as a replacement for one that goes flat, has a blowout, or has another emergency. ''Spare tire'' is generally a ...

, but instead come a mini

compressor A compressor is a mechanical device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume. An air compressor is a specific type of gas compressor. Compressors are similar to pumps: both increase the pressure on a fluid and both can trans ...

and a sealant to close small holes and reinflate damaged tires.

Motorcycles A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruisin ...

also do not have room for spare tires, in which compact kits can make long trips a little safer. Automakers and consumer groups stress inflators are designed to seal minor punctures, not repair a large cut or a damaged sidewall.

References

External links

Slime Official Website

Slime Argentina Official Website
{{Authority control Auto parts suppliers of the United States Tire manufacturers of the United States